Seamstress
Salary

Women make up the vast majority of Seamstresss in the United States. The average pay in this industry is approximately $11.72 per hour. Location and career length each impact pay for this group, with the former having the largest influence. Job satisfaction for Seamstresss is high. Just under one-fifth report receiving medical coverage from their employers and close to one-eighth collect dental insurance. This report is based on answers to PayScale's salary questionnaire.

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

XTotal Pay combines base annual salary or hourly wage, bonuses, profit sharing, tips, commissions, overtime pay and other forms of cash earnings, as applicable for this job. It does not include equity (stock) compensation, cash value of retirement benefits, or the value of other non-cash benefits (e.g. healthcare).

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Job Description for Seamstress

A seamstress cuts and sews clothes, which includes stitching, tailoring, and mending. In certain positions, some fashion design might be required. Seamstresses may also alter clothing to ensure it best fits customers in settings such as clothing stores; in this setting, they need to be able to measure customers and alter (or in some cases create) clothing that fits these measurements. Being able to use a sewing machine is essential for this position, as is the ability to attach zippers and buttons to garments as required. Some recordkeeping duties - such as keeping track of measurements and materials - may be necessary.

There are both part-time and full-time seamstress positions, and hours may vary, though most seamstresses work during daytime hours. Seamstresses generally work indoors and may be employed in a factory setting. They may also work as freelancers for small businesses, and many seamstresses own their own businesses. Seamstresses also work in hotels and similar settings to mend linens, uniforms, and other housekeeping-related materials.

Generally, relevant experience is required for this position. Some physical requirements may be necessary for this position, as it involves repetitive motions and sitting for extended periods. Attention to detail is critical, as seamstresses must be able to spot flaws and carry out their tasks effectively and efficiently.

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Popular Skills for Seamstress

This chart shows the most popular skills for this job and what effect each skill has on pay.

Seamstresss report a narrow range of specific skills. Most notably, skills in Design, Patternmaking, alterations, and Sewing are correlated to pay that is above average. It is often found that people who know Patternmaking are also skilled in alterations.

Pay by Experience Level for Seamstress

Median of all compensation (including tips, bonus, and overtime) by years of experience.

For Seamstresss, experience does not seem to be a major factor in determining pay. Relatively untried employees who have less than five years' experience have a median salary of $23K. Those who have been around for five to 10 years can expect to take home more — $24K on average. For Seamstresss, 10 to 20 years of experience on the job amounts to an average salary of $26K. Seamstresss who have stuck around for more than two decades see earnings that are no higher than those of folks who have worked for 10 to 20 years.

Seamstress Advice

What do you wish you knew about your job when you first started out?

Seamstress in St. Louis:

"To New Seamstresses..."

Stay original! You can alter something to make it look better but don't copy and always try to keep your prices either lower than your competitors or provide products that are so high quality that your competitors have to go out of business, because they can't compete at all.